Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 8.djvu/302

 though never delicate or elaborate, is often striking and artistic. The manufacture is still carried on, but rough, insignificant pieces alone are produced.

The original Shino-yaki, another variety of the Nochi-gama, is interesting as an example of the exceeding rusticity affected by some devotees of the Cha-no-Yu cult. It is strikingly rude, clumsy faience, or stone-ware. The pâte is coarse; the glaze thick, white, crackled, and glistening; and the decoration—when there is any—consists of the most archaic designs; as banded hedge patterns, rudimentary grasses and blossoms, suggestions of birds, and so forth, dashed on with dark brown pigment (shibu). The style was originated (1480) by Shino Ienobu, a celebrated master of Tea Ceremonials and vassal of the great dilettante, the Regent Yoshimasa. Japanese connoisseurs do not hesitate to pay two or three hundred dollars for an old specimen of this remarkably homely ware. Shino is chiefly remembered in connection with a system of incense burning which he elaborated,—a delicate and refined process, very different from the homely faience that bears his name. Another variety of the ware attributed to Shino's inspiration is known as Mugi-wara-de, or barley-straw pattern, the decoration consisting of lines that are intended to imitate straw.

When the Ming dynasty of China had been overthrown by the Tsung Tartars, four Chinese nobles came (1659) to Japan to pray for aid against the